A member of President Donald Trump’s administration engaged in a heated exchange online with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding Elon Musk’s role in identifying wasteful spending at USAID through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy responded to Clinton’s criticism after he announced that DOGE personnel under Musk would assist in upgrading the department’s aviation systems, particularly following a series of deadly plane crashes during Duffy’s brief tenure.
Clinton accused Duffy of allowing the department to “deteriorate” under his leadership, conveniently overlooking the transportation infrastructure issues that occurred during former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s four-year term. She also questioned the qualifications of DOGE personnel, suggesting they lacked the necessary experience for aviation system upgrades. “Most of them aren’t old enough to rent a car. And you’re going to let them mess with airline safety that’s already deteriorated on your watch?” she posted on X.
In response, Duffy argued that the real problem lay with “experienced Washington bureaucrats” who contributed to the federal government’s issues and the decline of the nation’s infrastructure. “You need to sit this one out,” he advised Clinton, before revealing that Musk’s team had uncovered “extreme grifting” by both Bill and Hillary Clinton through USAID.
“I know you’re lashing out because DOGE is uncovering your family’s obscene grifting via USAID, but I won’t let you lie and distort facts,” Duffy, a former Fox News host, wrote in a Thursday post. “I’m returning this department to its mission of safety by using innovative technology in transportation and infrastructure. Your team had its chance and failed. We’re moving on without you because the American people want us to make America’s transportation system great again. And yes, we’re bringing the 22-year-olds with us,” he added.
Duffy’s comments come in the context of various transportation incidents, including a significant chemical spill in Ohio under the Biden-Harris administration and multiple in-flight emergencies involving Boeing aircraft, such as a sudden cabin door loss and issues with the latest version of the 737. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has also faced serious challenges during its maiden crewed flight, leaving two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station.
During his confirmation hearing last month, Duffy emphasized his commitment to aviation safety and restoring confidence in Boeing. “I think we have to … push the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] to ensure they are implementing their safety plan,” he told the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, expressing his intention to work with the FAA and Congress to “restore global confidence in Boeing and to ensure our skies are safe.”
Duffy, a former five-term GOP congressman from Wisconsin, also confirmed that he would allow the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to continue its investigation into the safety of Tesla’s advanced driving technology, which is overseen by Musk. “Yes, I commit to this committee and you that I will let NHTSA do their investigation,” Duffy stated.
In a related incident, a senior Biden administration official pushed back against Buttigieg after he appeared to blame Trump for the derailment of a train in East Palestine, Ohio, in February, which resulted in a significant environmental disaster. The official’s fact-check came after Buttigieg criticized Trump’s visit to the community, where he delivered water and supplies to those affected by the toxic chemical spill, asserting that the responsibility for the accident lay with the rail carrier, Norfolk Southern.
